noun

1. a short, heavy, often blunt arrow shot from a crossbow
2. a flash of lightning; thunderbolt
3. a sudden dash or movement
4. a sliding bar for locking a door, gate, etc.
5. a similar bar in a lock, moved by a key
6. a threaded metal rod or pin for joining parts, having a head and usually used with a nut
7. a roll (of cloth, paper, etc.) of a given length
8. a jet or column (of some liquid)
9. ☆ a bolting or withdrawal from one's party or group
10. Firearms a sliding bar that pushes the cartridge into place, closes the breech, and extracts the empty cartridge case after firing

Etymology: ME & OE, akin to Ger bolzen < IE base *bheld-, to knock, strike

transitive verb

1. Archaic to shoot (an arrow, etc.)
2. to say suddenly or unexpectedly; blurt (out)
3. to swallow (food) hurriedly; gulp down
4. to hold together or fasten with or as with a bolt
5. to roll (cloth, etc.) into bolts
6. ☆ to withdraw support from or abandon (a party, group, etc.)

intransitive verb

1. to dash out suddenly; spring; dart
2. to start suddenly and run away, as a horse
3. ☆ to withdraw support from or abandon a party, group, etc.
4. Hort. to produce seed prematurely

transitive verb

1. to sift (flour, grain, etc.) so as to separate and grade
2. Archaic to inspect and separate, as good from bad; examine closely

Etymology: ME bulten < OFr buleter, ? dissimilated < *bureter < bure (< VL *bura), coarse cloth; akin to It burattare < buratto, sieve